Up in Arms
by Supernovacide
Summary: Frodo/Sam angst - Sam becomes sick and cannot tell the difference between reality and nightmares.
1. Default Chapter

**Up in Arms**  
  
  
Frodo/Sam   
  
Author's Notes: This is my first attempt at a Lord of the Rings story, so please be gentle. It's named after a Foo Fighters song and it's slightly AU I guess, because it obviously didn't happen.   
  
Rating: PG13 (I reserve the right to raise it later.)   
  
  
**Chapter One**   
  
Sam stumbled along the wooded path, his fiery head causing his eyes to water. Everyone was ahead of him; too busy to notice he was not right. He could see their blurry figures marching on in the distance, getting further and further away. He called out for them to wait, but the words never left his mouth. His energy was draining and he fell to the ground.   
  
It was Frodo who first noticed Sam wasn't with them. "Sam!" He called out. The fellowship turned around and Frodo bounded back down the path. Legolas noticed the hobbit out of the corner of his eye. Fearing there were orcs near, he ran after him.   
  
Frodo found Sam lying on the ground, shaking with the chills. His pack was off his back and on the ground a few feet away.   
  
"Sam!" Frodo cried out.   
  
Sam glanced up at the figure standing before him. It was just another blurb of color, but he recognized the voice, although it seemed distant. "Mr. Frodo?"   
  
Frodo dropped down to his knees beside him. "Oh, Sam." He said, running his hands down Sam's back. "What happened?"   
  
Sam looked at him for a long whole before answering. "Head…it hurts."   
  
Legolas caught up to Frodo quickly, his long legs going much faster than the hobbit's. He almost tripped over Frodo and Sam, but stopped just in time.   
  
Kneeling down beside Frodo, Legolas placed his hand on Sam's forehead. Sam jerked away and screamed in pain. He quickly pulled his hand away.   
  
"What's wrong with him?" Frodo asked anxiously.   
  
Legolas shook his head, breaking out of his trance. "I do not know," he said. "We should bring his back to the others and set up camp for the night."   
  
Frodo nodded and continued to comb his fingers through Sam's hair. Sam, who was becoming delirious, grabbed onto the bottom of Frodo's shirt. He began whispering something, which Frodo could not understand.   
  
Sam had felt the hand on his head. A burning sensation had tore through his entire body and he pulled away in pain. The hand left his head and a cool one replaced it. He pressed his face into Frodo's hand, his watery eyes spilling tears onto them.   
  
Noting how Sam had reacted to his touch, Legolas ran ahead to get Argorn to carry him back to the camp.   
  
"Aragorn!" He said.   
  
Aragorn turned around quickly. "We've been looking for you. Have you seen Frodo?"   
  
"Yes," he said. "He's with Sam, who's quite ill. He cannot stand my touch and Frodo could not carry him, so I was hoping you could help me."   
  
"Of course, where is he?"   
  
Legolas lead Aragorn to Sam. Merry and Pippin followed, leaving Boromir and Gimli to set up camp.   
  
Aragorn picked Sam up, who moaned in pain, but settled down. He did not react nearly as badly as he had to Legolas' touch.   
  
Merry and Pippin followed close by, while begging Frodo to tell them what had happened. He told them of how he had found Sam lying on the road and how he had been ever since. Even when he had nothing left to tell, they continued to pester him.   
  
When they reached the camp, Aragorn sent Merry to get water from the spring nearby. He dipped a cloth into the container and ran it along Sam's face and neck. Frodo sat down next to him and insisted on finishing the task.   
  
"My poor Sam." He whispered, gently touching the cloth to Sam's face. Sam had been fine the day before and Frodo found it strange that he had come down with something so quickly and without any warning.   
  
Gimli walked around the two for a while, loudly telling Frodo the proper way to care for a fever. Eventually he grew tired of being ignored and walked off to find someone else to converse with. Frodo let out a sigh of relief when he left.   
  
"How is he?" Legolas asked, peering over Frodo at Sam.   
  
Frodo glanced at him nervously. "Not any better I'm afraid. I think his fever may be rising, even with this," he held up the cloth. "I'm not sure what to do now."   
  
"Neither am I I'm afraid," he said. "I've looked all over these woods for something that might help, but there's nothing here."   
  
Frodo nodded and continued on with his task. Legolas walked over to the fire where the others were, leaving Frodo alone with Sam. 

~~~~~~~

  
  
During the night, Frodo awoke to the sound of Sam's screams.   
  
"Please…no…please…" he called out, his arms wildly swinging at an invisible force.   
  
"Sam," Frodo yelled out over the screams. "It's all right…hush…it's all right." Frodo held Sam's arms down and repeated small nothings over and over again, hoping they would calm his friend.   
  
When he woke up, everything was still a blur to Sam. He continued lashing out his arms, almost sure the demons of his nightmares were still there, waiting silently for him.   
  
"Sam, Sam! It's me, it's Frodo!"   
  
"Frodo?" He croaked out.   
  
Frodo sighed with relief. "Yes it's me Sam," he paused. "Are you all right?"   
  
"They were going to…going to get me…I know it…it…know…" Sam rambled on until his strength was wasted and he fell back onto the blanket. His nightmare had been so real, so vivid, and he was still frightened. What if it wasn't really Mr. Frodo? What if it was a demon? They were smart enough to do that, weren't they? Wouldn't they know he'd trust his master?   
  
Frodo ran out to the spring and filled the small bowl with fresh water and ran back to their tent. He began patting Sam's neck with the towel and while he was doing this, Sam grabbed his hand.   
  
"Cold," he said.   
  
"Sorry," he murmured, but he did not stop. Sam's fever was still rising and he was not sure how much longer he'd last if he didn't at least try to counteract it.   
  
When he began running the cold cloth down Sam's tunic, he over, turning his back on Frodo.   
  
"Sam, "Frodo said sighing.   
  
"Cold," Sam whispered again.   
  
"You're fever's too high, I need to get it down."   
  
Sam rolled back onto his back and allowed Frodo to cool him down. He began to shiver violently and Frodo stopped. His teeth were chattering, but his head still felt as if it was on fire. "Head…burns."   
  
"Shh…it's all right." Frodo said, placing the damp cloth on Sam's forehead.   
  
As Frodo did this, dizziness began to cloud his mind. Too weak to fight it, Sam let himself fall unconscious.   
  
Frodo cried. 


	2. Fever Red

**Up in Arms**   
  
  
  
Frodo/Sam   
  
Disclaimer: Tolkien's, not mine.   
  
Author's Notes: As I said before, this is an AU. Thanks to everyone for all the nice reviews. Skye - I appreciate that you like my story, but please don't take it. I'd like to finish it on my own. =)   
  
  
  
**Chapter Two**   
  
_The hands slowly wrapped around his neck, choking him. He gasped for air and screamed… _   
  
Sam jerked awake, coughing violently and gasping for air. Frodo, who was asleep beside him, woke up in a daze.   
  
"What…oh…Sam? Sam!" He sat up quickly and propped Sam up, helping him to breathe.   
  
Sam could vaguely make out the voice he was hearing. He couldn't resist it though, even if it was one of them. He was too tired and too weak to resist.   
  
When Sam's coughing subsided, Frodo lied him back down on the blanket, stroking his hair gently. He was beginning to become scared for Sam's life. His fever had been steadily on the rise and feeling his head, he could tell it had risen in the night. He scrambled to get more water to cool him down, and on his way he ran into Aragorn.   
  
"How is he?"   
  
"Worse," Frodo said, hastily filling the bowl with water.   
  
"Have you tried bathing him in the spring? The water is cold, it might help."   
  
Frodo shook his head, "No, I haven't. Will you help me?"   
  
"Of course."   
  
They went into the tent where Sam was. He was tossing around on the blanket, in the middle of another vivid nightmare. "Shh…Sam…it's all right. I'm here." Frodo shook Sam's shoulder, trying to wake him up.   
  
"Please…no…don't…" Sam whimpered. The images filling his mind were cold and cruel, threatening him with every torture imaginable.   
  
_He was in the corner like a scared little boy…_   
  
Frodo's voice came through the dream and he struggled to open his eyes. When he did, he was in Aragorn's arms, being carried out of the tent. He felt almost safe, pressed against the larger man's body. That was, until he saw the spring.   
  
All of a sudden, Sam began kicking and yelling loudly. He tried to wriggle his way out of Aragorn's arms, but the ranger was much stronger. He kept a tight grip on the boy as he walked towards the spring.   
  
When Sam was put into the spring, it felt as if he had been dropped into a tub full of ice. He continued to lash out at Aragorn, begging to be let go.   
  
"Maybe we should let him go Strider, he seems to be hurting more than he should be." Frodo said, looking at Sam sympathetically.   
  
Aragorn shook his head, "We have to lower his fever soon; we cannot linger here much longer."   
  
Frodo nodded and looked on sympathetically.   
  
Sam curled up against Aragorn's body as he was carried out of the spring, trying to warm himself with the body heat. He couldn't stop himself from shaking and the voices in his head were growing louder. He shuddered violently when Aragorn placed him down on the still-cold ground.   
  
"Sam!" Frodo said loudly, noticing the way he had reacted   
  
Aragorn had also noticed. He bent down and quickly dressed the hobbit, wrapping a thin blanket around him. He did not want the hobbit to be uncomfortable, but he was afraid that his temperature was still rising.   
  
With the way his eyes were watering, Sam could barely make out who was standing in front of him. Judging by the voice, he was almost sure it was Frodo. "Mr. Frodo?"   
  
"I'm here," Frodo said, kneeling down beside him.   
  


~~~~~~~

  
  
_Sam felt the fire coming down upon him, threatening to engulf him if he did not move. He struggled to stand, but was stopped by a pair of strong arms. He fought against them, screaming in rage. He wanted to get out. He needed to. _   
  
Sam woke up, screaming, in the arms of Boromir.   
  
"Shh, little one." Boromir said, continuing to walk after the fellowship.   
  
"Where are we going?" Sam asked, before rolling his head into Boromir's shirt. The aching in it was growing worse.   
  
"We have to keep moving," Boromir said. He could see the confusion on the hobbit's face. He wondered if he even knew why he was there.   
  
Sam's face was very pale and his breathing was labored. Boromir rubbed Sam's back, trying to loosen up his chest so he could breathe better. He did not know much about healing methods. His limited knowledge only covered how to keep injured warriors alive long enough to get them to safety. It was needless to say he had lost more men than he had saved.   
  
Frodo had stayed behind the group to walk with Boromir, who had offered to carry Sam. He still did not trust him completely. There was something about him that he could not put his finger on. It was almost eerie.   
  
When Sam awoke screaming, Frodo was immediately by his side, peering over Boromir's arms. Sam murmured something and Boromir answered before the hobbit turned restlessly and fell back into a state of near sleep. "Is he all right?" Frodo asked eagerly.   
  
Boromir nodded, "He's all right, for now anyway."   
  
The sound of Boromir's voice was not very comforting and he was almost happy when Gimli decided to check back on the trio. At least with Gimli, one knew what to expect.   
  
"How is the hobbit?" He asked. While Frodo had been annoyed by his presence before, he was beginning to see the dwarf meant well.   
  
"His fever is still high. The sooner we get to Lothlórien, the better."   
  
Gimli cringed at the name of the Golden Wood, but agreed that Sam would be better cared for there. There was little they could do for him here.   
  
Sam could hear voices, but it sounded like they were far above him. He strained to make out what they were saying and whom they were from, but his strength was failing. Blackness was threatening to overcome him and the last word he heard was, "better." 


End file.
